A Lack of Color
by Sock Fiend
Summary: Ted is sick and Carla gets involved. It's hard loving someone who doesn't love you back.


Here's another romance fic (only a little sadder). I kind of rushed through this –sheepish grin- But it turned out a lot longer than I thought it would be. Oh, and THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who actually read and reviewed my last story. I spazzed a ton in a happy way…even though it was only seven people haha :)

A/N This takes place a just a little time before JD and Turk started working at SH.

* * *

Ted Buckland tried and failed to smother a yawn with his fist as he snuck as inconspicuously as possible into the hospital. Kelso was going to slaughter him for sleeping in late…or maybe not. It wasn't like anyone noticed his presence anyway.

He walked by the main desk and froze in his tracks when he saw _her_.

Carla Espinosa.

The name sent pleasant, tingling warmth throughout him. She was the only one who treated him with any kind of compassion. That was what probably started his little crush in the first place. Even on her first day at the hospital, he had admired her confidence and strength from a lonely distance. As someone who personified depression, he was either avoided or, even worse, pitied by everyone in the building, staff and patients alike. But when he was around her…it was almost like he was normal, if only for a few blissful moments. Sometimes he dreamed about her…about them going on trips to exotic places, or just having dinner…living their lives together, about her loving him back. The only downside of these fantasies was when he woke up. As sad is it was, she was the only bit of color in his life.

Ted stiffened anxiously as she walked past him in her light purple scrubs, leaving an intoxicating trail of perfume behind her. He resisted the urge to follow.

When he reached the second floor and walked by the nurse's station he stopped abruptly as a sudden coughing fit seized him. He leaned one hand on the desk and tried to direct the harsh expulsions of air into his sleeve. When he was finally finished and his throat was irritably raw, he licked his chapped lips and saw a nurse throwing him a dirty look.

Ted swallowed nervously, pretended he didn't see her and forced his exhausted legs to move slowly down the hall towards his office.

_Ugh, I feel like crap._

He had only just become aware of how much his body was aching. It was also unbearably chilly in the building and he regretted not bringing along something warm to put on. The thought of himself walking around in a giant, wool sweater struck him as hilarious but his attempt at a laugh only elicited another violent string of coughs. After he recovered, he rubbed his arms furiously as a series of shivers passed through him. It felt like he was standing in a freezer.

_I should go home._

But that would mean traveling all the way back downstairs, and being outside where it was even colder. Also, he didn't think that he was capable of operating a car at the moment. Maybe he could hide out in the doctors' on-call room and sleep. But that place seemed to far away to him now…and his office so close.

Ignoring his now unexplainably pounding head, Ted dragged his feet further down the corridor. He was almost there…his office was about five feet away. Only a few more steps…

"TED!"

The sudden yelling of his name was like a knife plunging into his skull and he rubbed his temple in vain. When he realized who the person was, he was surprised that his head didn't explode all together.

Bob Kelso marched up with a scowl on his face, and even though Ted was physically taller than the chief of medicine, he could feel himself shrink as the man approached. God, he was weak.

Kelso jabbed his pen at Ted's chest and the lawyer winced visibly. "Why in the hell are you late?"

"Overslept," Ted mumbled.

Kelso narrowed his eyes at him and Ted had the unnerving sensation of being x-rayed. "You're extra sweaty today. What's wrong with you?"

Ted repressed a shudder and changed the topic desperately, "Are you cold?"

Kelso arched a suspicious eyebrow. "No…"

"Oh…n-neither am I."

"Then why are your teeth chattering?"

Ted unsubtly clamped his mouth shut and not knowing what else to do; his fight or flight response kicked in and he tried to escape.

It took a moment for Ted to realize that Kelso was holding onto his wrist, preventing him from actually moving anywhere.

There must have been a good amount of heat flowing from his skin to Kelso's hand because the doctor's eyes widened slightly. "Good God, you're burning up." The tiny amount of shock in his voice was soon replaced by an edge of annoyance, "Why did you come in?"

Ted blinked in response.

"You're an idiot."

"I'm a Scorpio," Ted replied dumbly.

"Shut up," Kelso snapped, putting his hand roughly on Ted's forehead. "This is a hospital and there are enough sick people here without you infecting everyone with the flu." He looked around and spotted someone walking by. "Nurse Espinosa!"

Ted's stomach plummeted.

"Yes, Doctor Kelso?" Carla said, as she went up to them. "Oh, hey, Ted."

"H-hey," Ted responded feebly.

_No, please don't do this, Kelso. I'll do anything, I'll clean your house, take Enid for walks everyday, just don't do this…_

"Nurse Espinosa, would you kindly drive this imbecile back to his mother's house for me?"

Ted felt blood rush up into his already flushed face as he watched Carla's confused expression with humiliation.

"Okay…"

"Wonderful." Kelso's mouth widened into a fake smile and he stalked away while Ted bitterly imagined Baxter attacking him.

* * *

What California lacked in snow and ice, it made up for with plenty of rain. But there was only a slight drizzle as the two of them walked through the back door entrance towards his car.

It was still enough to make Ted tremble uncontrollably in his jacket.

He felt Carla's eyes on him as they walked and she asked sympathetically, "Do you want my coat?"

Even though he did want to take it and wrap it around his throbbing head like a turban, he gave a miserable shake of his head. "You could get sick too."

"I'm a nurse, Ted, remember?" she rolled her eyes but smiled as she reminded him, "I had my flu shots."

Before she had the chance to force him to accept the offer, they reached the car and Ted fumbled around deliriously in his pocket for the keys. "They're in here, I know it…"

Carla noticed him struggling. "Here, let me look…" She reached into his pocket and his heart leapt into his throat. He could feel her hand on his leg through the thin material of his pants and he stood rigid against the side of the passenger side door as she searched.

_Oh, God._

Finally she pulled the keys out triumphantly, "Found them."

Ted let out a shaky sigh of relief and let the tension slide from his shoulders. "Good."

* * *

Ted fought drowsiness the entire way to the house since he needed to be awake to mumble incoherent directions to Carla. When they finally reached the destination and hurried through the rain (which had begun to fall more heavily), and they were in the warm house, Ted simply stated robotically, "Sleep…"

Carla watched with a mixture of amusement and concern as he stumbled over to the couch and collapsed on the squishy cushions.

Sighing, she saw an afghan blanket on the arm of the sofa and spread it over him, "Do you want anything before I leave?"

The rain was pelting the window so relentlessly that she could barely make out Ted murmuring something about being thirsty. Men were such babies.

After she ran tap water from the kitchen faucet into a glass, Carla somehow managed to find and retrieve a thermometer from one of the cabinets and inserted it into his ear. She pulled it out after the beeping noise and frowned. "103.8…? That temp's a little too hot for the flu."

"Mom always says that mine are especially high." Ted explained before taking a couple large gulps of water. Carla saw his face redden with embarrassment when he realized what he had just slipped out.

She tried to hide a grin and handed him some Tylenol tablets, "Take these; they'll make it go down faster." As Ted swallowed the pills, Carla put her palm on his forehead, although she wasn't sure why; she already knew he had a fever. Just as she expected, he was extremely warm. But right when she was about to pull away from his fiery skin, he leaned his head against her hand tiredly, trying to find comfort. Ted's eyelids had turned to lead as the drugs took effect and he was beginning to succumb completely to exhaustion.

She let him rest his head there for a few moments and then gently eased him into a pillow before walking to the front door and opening it, allowing the sound of pouring rain to fill the room.

"I love you."

Carla stopped immediately in the doorway.

Silence.

The nurse turned around slowly and looked at the only other person in the house. And he was sleeping...his breathing calm and even.

She must be hearing things.

* * *

A/N Aww, poor guy. By the way, I couldn't think of a title so I used a Death Cab for Cutie song and made a little reference to it in the beginning. I listened to them a lot while I wrote this baby (especially What Sarah Said). And I'm guessing this story most likely won't get a lot of reviews since Ted isn't exactly the most popular character, compared to JD and Cox anyway…so um, prove me wrong? :P


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